BravoCalc

Gas Mileage Calculator

Gas Mileage Calculator
Calculate your vehicle's fuel efficiency and trip costs
miles
gallons

What is Gas Mileage?

Gas mileage, also known as fuel economy, is a measure of how far a vehicle can travel on a specific amount of fuel. In the United States, it's typically expressed as miles per gallon (MPG). In other countries, it might be expressed as liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km) or kilometers per liter (km/L).

How to Calculate Gas Mileage

To calculate your vehicle's gas mileage:

  1. Fill your gas tank completely and reset your trip odometer or note the mileage reading.
  2. Drive normally until you need to refill.
  3. When refilling, note how many gallons it takes to fill the tank and the trip odometer reading or current mileage.
  4. Divide the number of miles driven by the number of gallons used.

MPG = Miles driven ÷ Gallons of fuel used

Factors Affecting Gas Mileage

  • Driving habits: Aggressive acceleration, high speeds, and frequent braking reduce fuel efficiency.
  • Vehicle maintenance: Properly inflated tires, clean air filters, and regular tune-ups improve gas mileage.
  • Vehicle weight: Heavier vehicles require more fuel to move.
  • Aerodynamics: Wind resistance increases at higher speeds, reducing efficiency.
  • Weather conditions: Cold weather, headwinds, and rain can decrease fuel efficiency.
  • Terrain: Driving uphill or on rough roads requires more fuel.
  • Fuel quality: Different fuel grades can affect performance and efficiency.

Tips to Improve Gas Mileage

  • Drive at moderate speeds and avoid rapid acceleration and braking
  • Remove excess weight from your vehicle
  • Use cruise control on highways to maintain a constant speed
  • Keep tires properly inflated
  • Replace air filters regularly
  • Use the recommended grade of motor oil
  • Combine errands to minimize cold starts and short trips
  • Turn off the engine when idling for extended periods
  • Use air conditioning sparingly
  • Keep windows closed at high speeds to reduce drag

Understanding MPG vs. L/100km

Different countries use different units to measure fuel economy:

  • Miles per gallon (MPG): Used in the United States and the United Kingdom (though the UK gallon is different from the US gallon).
  • Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km): Used in most European countries and Canada. Lower numbers indicate better fuel efficiency.
  • Kilometers per liter (km/L): Used in Japan and some other Asian countries.

To convert between these units:

  • MPG (US) to L/100km: 235.214 ÷ MPG = L/100km
  • L/100km to MPG (US): 235.214 ÷ L/100km = MPG
  • km/L to L/100km: 100 ÷ km/L = L/100km
  • L/100km to km/L: 100 ÷ L/100km = km/L